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XNU

The kernel and extensions 1: To Mojave

How the kernel relies on its extensions to make your Mac work, and has highest privilege for stability and security. How this must change for Apple Silicon.

April 13, 2022 Macs, Technology

Updated visual summary of the Mac boot process

Adds details of the sequence of screens displayed at each stage, to help diagnose boot problems.

September 17, 2018 Macs, Technology

Booting the Mac: Visual Summary

Single-diagram summary of how a modern Mac starts up in macOS 10.12 or 10.13, from pressing the Power button to running the kernel.

August 25, 2018 Macs, Technology

Booting the Mac: the kernel and extensions

How macOS gets to load a hefty kernel and over 300 extensions so quickly: it cheats with a pre-linked kernelcache. And why you don’t see extensions loading in the log.

August 23, 2018 Macs, Technology
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